Page 2 of Full Out Fiend

I glower at the shot glass mocking me from where it’s centered on the tray. I’m done for tonight. I have to be up early tomorrow. But I didn’t miscount. And Jake didn’t overpour.

“Which party?” I challenge.

“That group right there.” Another jut of his chin toward a rowdy gaggle of women across the bar.

I snatch the shot off the tray, hop off the barstool, and turn on my heel to rectify the situation.

Chapter 2

Daphne

Asalittlegirl,I believed in fairy tales.

Prince Charming saving the princess. The promise of a better life. The magic of happily ever after.

But I’m pretty sure Sleeping Beauty never woke up to a text message from Prince Charming’s brother, informing her that they’d both been granted “free passes” for the weekend of their bachelor and bachelorette parties.

A free pass. My fiancé, Anthony, wanted a free pass. One last chance to—what? Sleep with someone else? Pick up an STD a few weeks before our wedding?

As if Vegas isn’t dirty enough. My fiancé is currently two thousand miles away, seeking out pleasure in a stranger. While I’m in our hometown, surrounded by people I don’t really like, pretending this night is everything I always dreamed it would be.

I don’t know why, but this of all things is what finally broke me. I’m wrecked. Drained. Running on fumes when I should be brimming with excitement about my upcoming nuptials.

Striding out of the stall, I push down a fresh wave of tears along with the self-blame that bubbles just below the surface. I didn’t do this. I didn’t make him do this. But no matter how many times I remind myself that Anthony’s an adult and he’s responsible for his own decisions, I can’t help but worry that I could have—should have—donesomethingto prevent our demise.

Life has been nonstop for months. All our time together has been spent going over wedding details and arguing about the budget. That, and I moved in with my parents at the beginning of summer since my lease was up. We haven’t had much time alone to really connect.

Anthony agreed that staying with my parents temporarily was the right decision—that we didn’t need to rush moving in together. He wanted to wait until after the wedding so he’d have time to clean out his apartment and make space. I didn’t think to question it at the time.

Now I’m questioning everything.

I turn on the tap and ignore the women beside me reapplying lip gloss and gushing about each other’s outfits. That should be me. This night was supposed to be fun. Okay, maybe not fun—a girls’ night in with my BFF and my little sister would have been more my speed—but I shouldn’t be struggling to get through my own bachelorette party. I don’t let the thought linger, though. If I do, I’m bound to cry. Again.

I still when a perfectly manicured hand reaches across and shuts off the sink. When I look in the mirror, my best friend’s gaze is reflected back at me.

Serena’s the only one who knows what’s really going on. What Anthony did—how he did it—and what I plan to do next. Honestly, it was easier to get dressed up and come out tonight than it would have been to cancel with no explanation.

I’m calling off my wedding.

But even though he’s the one who shut his phone off and made himself unreachable, I need to talk to Anthony first.

So here I am: a jilted bride, dressed in white, hoping my bridesmaids are too drunk to notice that I’m even more quiet than usual tonight.

“You good?” Serena asks, handing me a paper towel and helping me go through the motions. I’m grateful she didn’t ask if I’m okay. She knows I’m not. I’m tired of being disregarded. Disregarded and underestimated.

“Good,” I confirm with as much confidence as I can muster, meeting my best friend’s gaze once more and giving her an assured nod.

“Melissa texted. Some guy bought us all shots. Duty calls. See you out there.”

Serena has just as much love for my bridal party as I do. Aside from her, everyone in the group is related to Anthony in some way. His cousins and his brother’s girlfriend are a special breed of handful—I’m pretty sure every one of them is already wasted. I wouldn’t be surprised if they got into an actual bar brawl tonight.

Tucking my thick, curly hair behind my ears, I give myself one more assessment in the mirror.

I can do this. Iamdoing this. It’s time to do what’s best for me without worrying about what everyone else thinks or how they might react. I owe it to myself to turn back now before I’m so far in that I don’t even recognize my own reflection.

I spent all day trying to make sense of Anthony’s actions. I just keep circling back to the same conclusion: he did it because he could. Because he thought I’d take it. That I wouldn’t cause a fuss.

But he’s wrong. He just doesn’t know it yet.